Portable hydraulic press tool



l E. AaswANsN PORTABLE HYDRAULIC PRESS TOOL Feb. 4, 1958 2 She'ets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 2, 1956 IN VEN TOR.

' Feb. 4, 1958 1- E. C. SWANSON PORTABLE HYDRAULIC PRESS TOOL l Filed Feb. 2. .1956

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent* zgszrw PoRTABLnfHYDRAUmc rnnss TooLl i EdwinC.` Swanson, RockfordLIll., assignor to-Greenl`e Bros. & Co., acorporation of Illinois.

Application-February 2,1956, Serial No. 562,981

1,6.- Claims. (Cl. 81- 1.5)`

This` invention relates to ahydraulic press and, more.; particu1arly,to a portable, hydraulic .pressfespecially well. adapted for-*exerting a large` clamping; force.

This invention isan improvement over. the hand `press,l

disclosed inthe copending application of Edwin C, Swan; son, Serial No. 462,443, filed October. 15, 1954.,

The general object of this.invention,isto provide a. new and improved hydraulic` press.A

Another. objectof theinvention is .to produce anim:

proved mountingl fr\the:headA on. the, body of a press,

oflthe. type discloseddn said` copendingl application;`

Another` objectisto. producea1 press,` of-the characterr described. wherein the volume of. the. iluid` reservoir. need not be variedduringthe operation-of the'press;

Still another object of. the yinventiorris. to` produce.. an, improved..mounting of the.. pumping, handle to provide..

moreconvenient means.. fpr releasing= the fluid pressure in the cylinder.

Still another; abject. ofi. this inventionis to-.provide..a,.

new,and improved.hydraulicl hand'press of. the characterL described wherein the pumping. handle is.'-.mounted..f on

rotation aboutitsaxis. to selectivelyallow actuationof" the. pump for-the clampingoperationand the release of..

uid pressure inthe. cylinder to relieve. the.clamping,pres;:k sure onthe, dies.

Another lobjectof this inventionfistofprovide a-portablcf hydraulic, press ot the character described.. whereina;

fluid conduit extending between-.the pump and. uid reserf. voir terminates in,apositionwhereimthe.,endof thecon-` duit.is alwaysimmersedinthehuid. inany positiongin-i which the press is, used..

Other. objects andadvantages willbecome., apparent:v from the following detaileddescription) taken Vin, con-f nectionV with the accompanyingfdrawings; inwhich:

Fig.V yl is a side yelevational view..of an embodiment of,

the invention, partially broken. away.` for. clarity of.. illusf f tration;

Fig. 2., is an` enlarged. fragmentary verticah stepped., sectional view of the upper portion of Fig. l takenigenerr-v ally on a plane. passing through the,axis..of;the piston and the t axis of., the` pumping handle;

Fig. 43 is, atragmentary vertical,sectional.view takengenerally along a line` 3f-3 of Fig..2; and

Fig. .4 is van enlargedfragmentary.horizontal, sectional view taken generally, alonghline.,4,.4..ofFig. l..

While. the invention`v herein` describ.e.d;..is. a.` preferred;

embodiment,v itisLV not intended to.V limit thev invention. to;- the.` specific.. forint andI arrangement., shown, it being, con;A templated that variousk changesf may. be made, b.ythose;. skilled in the, art` withoutdeparting from. the. spirit and scope ofthe' appendedclaims.

Referring nowfto Fig. l ofA `the drawings, thereis shown. agpress generally in dicatecby at,1l)`` having ahollow lower.

body portion. 1 1'.proyidingrtherein.l a reservoir 12 to.y conf.

hydraulicu Huid.. utilized. toi actuate.. tliegfppress: The. lower; bony portionJiLis-.threadably secured te antupplea connection justm'entioned; Extendingfrom. thel lower body portion 11' is a handle 15"having 'a,. handgrip 16, there0n,`while the upper body portion 1.3" is`,proyided` with ahead 17 rotatably mounted, thereonand carrying a die 18' adaptedv to exert a clamping. force, on; a splice.`

positioned between said die 18'and a,m ating1 die 19 carried'by the upper body portion 13.

As is common in devices of this nature,.means are provided ifor urging ,the two dies 18 and 19 toward each. other with a relatively great force, theA means in theA particularpress shown being a-hydraulicpump operated.

by a` movable handle 20 pivotally. carried vby the. upperv body portion 13. As seen in Figs. land2, thev movable handle 20 is provided abone end with ahandle grip portion 21,.With,its opposite end being received ina socketforming member 22k pivotally mounted on the..

upper'body portion 13. Thesocket-forming member 22 is-provided' with ap,in 2.3 adapted to be secured to the. outer end of `a pistn 2,4 l (Fig. 2)l of-the pumping vmeans just.mentioneigsothatpivotalymovement of the handle 20`I causes corresponding,reciprocatory movement of the pumpI piston .231.'

The pumping-,means of thepresent invention includes the piston 24 which is reciprocable in a bore 25, (Fig.I 2) formed intheA upperx body vportionl, .which bore com municates.withiidfcenducting means, interconnectingthe.

reservoir 1,2` and alcylinderl formed inthe upper. bodyA portion' .13; Asv clearly seen in Fig.2theliuid-conducting.` meansincludes a c o'nduitfZ? opening at one. end in .thee reservoir' 12 and` opening. atv its ,other endinto .a `first por:r

tion 28a. of a fluid passageformedin the vupper body porfy tion 13, Theviiidpassage hasga secondfportion 28by openingtinto .the cylinder` 26,` A.,ball.checkfva1ve'29 is,.- disposedi between. the fluid passagesla. andy 28]:-V so. arl to.allowl fluid` to be pumped from the reservoir l2- tofV thfecylinder 26 while preventing` reverse iluid.lion/fron the,cylin,der 26 to the reservoir-12. A packing;u 31 is.` proyidedaround the, piston 24-in the; bore 25...to-pre.vent

leakage ofdiuid around the sides ofthe. .piston 24.1

In a closedhydraulic circuit wherein-.high.pressures imperative. that. no .air is..intrnduced into the system.

whereinthe handles may extend vertically;upwardly,down

wardly or in. any position therebetween,means-,havefbeenf` provided for` preventingair'y from being., introduced intoi the` hydraulic circuit which dispenses \viththe.- necessity of` varying. the volume ofthe fluidreservoir.` BYyCarefully proportioning the iluidvolume. of the .reservoir 12 and the maximum volume` of.l lluid required to. move ,the

pistonframl 4010 its maximum stroke pcsition,1,and..by` positioning the end of the conduit 27 lnear the-centeno reservoir 121 have provided a pressconstruction wherein theend of the conduit 27is atall times; immersedin.

the.- uid. in,A the reservoir` 12.- no matter in what 4 positionithe .pressp is held orl where.l in the cylinder-.- 26s the piston.; ramf40, is disposed. In., the-,embodiment f shovvn, th e:voliV umetric capacity of4 thereservoir llisll more2 than .twiceir` the volumetric capacity of the cylinderl ZGWi-ththefpiston ram 40-in`its maximumstroke position.

Asshownin Fig. 1, a sight: gaugeflZa-.is sh'owmdisfposedinthe body portion 11 tol permit antoperator to1 determine; whether the hydraulic system,-y contains the? proper' amn11nt. of.fluid'.` When the presstlis. held vertiecallyl-.With the;` head g 17 extending dgownvvardiy.,` and ,then piston ramAQ fully retracted, .the levelofgthe uid should be A(una line,v indicated at .x, with the center of the sight Patented Feb. @.1958

gauge 12a. When the piston ram 40 is shifted to the fully advanced position, the level of the lluid should drop to the level indicated by the line y, it being noted that the end of the conduit 27 remains immersed in the tluid. Fluid may be added to the system by removing a uid ll plug 12b threadably secured in a hole -formed in the body portion 11.

To pivotably mount the socket-forming member 22 on the upper body portion 13, the socket-forming member 22 is provided with a pair of ears 33 which are pivotably secured to a pin 34 in a lug 35 formed integral with and projecting from the upper body portion 13. With the piston 24 of the pump means pivotally and slidably connected to the socket-forming member 22 by the pin 23, pumping movement of the handle 20 reciprocates the piston 24 and pumps fluid from the reservoir 12 into the cylinder 26 under relatively high pressure.

The uid pressure developed by the pump means is operable to move a piston ram 40 which is slidably mounted in the cylinder 26 upwardly therein. The mating die 19 is secured to the upper end of the piston ram 40 and is thus movable therewith toward the die 18.

As shown in Fig. 2, the piston ram 40 has a bore 41 formed therein which is closed by an end plate 42, the end plate 42 being securely held in position by a snap ring 43. To prevent leakage of the uid under pressure, sealing means 44 is provided between the cylinder 26 and the piston ram 40.

To automatically open the dies 18 and 19 when the uid pressure on the piston ram 40 is relieved, the piston ram 40 is normally urged downwardly in the cylinder 26 by resilient means, such as a spring 45. As best shown in Fig. 2, the spring 45 is disposed within the piston bore 41 and has one end bearing against the end plate 42 and the other end bearing against a head 46 of a bolt or rod member 47 which does not move with the piston ram 40. The major portion of the rod member 47 is disposed within the piston bore 41 with an end portion 48 being secured in a bore 49 formed in the upper body portion 13. Thus, upward movement of the piston ram 40 compresses the spring 45 so that when lluid pressure on the piston ram 40 is relieved, the spring 45 acts to urge the piston ram 40 downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2.

The means disclosed for relieving the pressure on the piston ram 40 include a uid passage formed in the upper body portion 13 and having a first portion 50a opening into the cylinder 26 and a second portion 50b opening into the reservoir 12. To allow the buildup of fluid pressure in the cylinder 26, the fluid passage is normally closed by a ball check valve 51 disposed between thel portions 50a and 50b. To relieve the pressure in the cylinder 26, the check valve 51 is adapted to be opened by an actuator rod 52 slidably mounted in a bore 53 formed in the upper body portion 13. To move the actuator rod 52 by movement of the pumping handle 20, the actuator rod 52 has an end portion 54 extending outwardly of the upper body portion 13 and engageable with an actuating member 55 fastened to the pumping handle 20.

So that the pressure relieving check valve 51 will not be opened by each pumping stroke of the handle 20, the pumping handle is mounted in the socket-forming member 22 for rotation with respect thereto between two positions determined by engagement of the actuating member 55 on the socket-forming member 22 with the sides of a slot 56 formed in the socket-forming member 22. Thus, the handle 20 may be oscillated While in either of two rotatably selected positions with respect to the socket-forming member 22.

In one of these positions (shown in full line in Fig.I 4)

ber 55 will engage the actuator rod 52 when the handle 20 is pivoted toward the upper body portion 13, thus' opening the check valve 51 and relieving the Huid presend of the socket-forming member 22.

sure on the piston ram 40. With this construction, it is extremely easy for the operator while grasping the two handles 15 and 20 to select either of the two positions of the handle 20 without changing his grip at all. A mere flick or twist of the wrist is sufficient. A stop member 57 formed integral with the socket-forming member 22 is engageable with the lower body portion 11 to limit the movement of the handle 20 toward the handle 15 to preventdamage to the pump means and pinching of the operators fingers.

Although the pumping handle 20 is rotatably mounted in the socket-forming member 22, longitudinal movement of the handle 20 in the socket-forming member 22 is limited by a tirst snap ring 58 fitted in an annular groove 59 formed in one end of the handle 20 and engageable with one end of the socket-forming member 22 and a second snap ring 58' fitted in an annular groove 59 formed in the handle 20 and engageable with the other In the embodiment shown, resilient means are utilized to normally urge the handle 20 into its pumping position in the socket- Iforming member 22 rather than into its pressure relieving position. As shown in Fig. 2, this is accomplished by a spring 60 disposed in an annular groove 61 formed in the pumping handle 20 with one end 62 secured to the handle 20 and the other end 63 secured to the socketforming member 22. Thus, after an operator has relieved the clamping pressure on the dies 18 and 19, merely releasing or relaxing his grip on the handle 20 will allow the handle 20 to be positioned for a clamping operation.

To provide freedom in positioning the dies for a clamping operation while the press 10 is being normally held ,by the operator, the C-shaped head 17 is rotatably mounted on the upper body portion 13. In the embodiment shown herein, the head 17 is telescoped over the upper end of the upper body portion 13 and hasv a bore 70 in which the die 19 and the piston ram 40 are slidable. The means for rotatably mounting the head 17 on the upper body portion 13 include a series of ball bearings 71 captively positioned therebetween in an annular recess defined by an internal annular groove 72 formed in the head 17 which opens into an external annular groove 73 formed in the upper body portion 13. Annular rings 74 and 75 are provided in the grooves 72 and 73, respectively, each of the rings filling a portion of its respective groove. The rings 74 and 75 are disposed in their respective grooves so that beveled bearing surfaces 76 and 77 formed respectively thereon are positioned generally parallel to each other. The ball bearings 71 bear against the bearing surfaces 76 and 77, these bearing surfaces thus sustaining the thrust exerted on the bearings 71. The use of these beveled rings 74 and 75 prevents damage to the edges of the grooves 72 and 73, the beveled rings being readily replaceable when worn. The bearings 71 are admitted to the annular recess defined by the grooves 72 and 73 through a plugged bore 78 formed in the head 17.

As the die 18 is mounted in the head 17 and is thus freely rotatable therewith and the die 19 is mounted on the piston ram 40, means are provided to insure that the die 19 will always be in clamping alignment with the die 18. In the embodiment illustrated, such means provide for connecting the piston ram 40 to the head 17 for rotation therewith, and include a bolt member 79 tbreadably secured in the head 17 and having an end portion 80 engageable in an external longitudinallyextending slot 81 formed in the piston ram 40.

As this construction results in the piston ram 40 being rotatable with the head 17, to prevent rotational stress on the spring 45, the end portion 48 of the rod member 47 is rotatably mounted in the bore 49. As best seen in Fig. 3, this rotatable connection includes a single ball 82 held in engagement in a beveled annular groove '83 formed in the end portion 48 of the rod member`47.

The bal1u82 allows rotation of the rodmember 47 in fluid from the upper'bod'yportiiml A suitable over pressure relieffvalvefforthe' cylinder# 26 is shown andfully describedin the co-pending application of`Edv'vin'C.` Swanson, Serial-No. 462,443, led October 15, 1954.3

l.A\ hydraulic press comprising, in.. combination; a bodyhavingran open ended cylinderV formed therein, a piston slidably mountedin the cylinder, a clampingrdie atr one end.oftlie piston, a head telescoped over--the open end ofVthe. body, a mating clampingI die on the. head, means for .rotatably mounting the.head\ on thebody-in cluding ,a plurality oflball bearingsi disposed in an` annu.- lar recess dened by adjacent annular grooves formed respectively on the head and on the body, an annular ring disposed in a portion of each of said grooves, each of said rings having a beveled edge portion, said beveled edge portions of said two rings being arranged in a parallel spaced arrangement so that said ball bearings bear against said beveled edges rather than against the edges of said grooves, and means for moving the piston toward lthe head to exert a clamping force on a member disposed between the two dies.

2. A hydraulic press of the type described in claim 1 wherein said means for moving the piston toward the head comprises a fluid reservoir formed in the body, passage means opening at one end to the reservoir and at the other end to the cylinder, and reciprocable pumping means associated with the passage means to force fluid under pressure from the reservoir into the cylinder.

3. A hydraulic press of the type described in claim 2 wherein said piston is hollow, a rod member having a relatively large head is disposed substantially within said piston with an end secured in said body, and a spring is disposed about said rod member having one end bearing against the head of said rod member and the other end bearing against one end of the piston so as to normally urge said piston away from said head.

4. A hydraulic press of the type described in claim 3 wherein means are provided for rotating said piston with said head comprising a bolt secured in the head having a projecting portion engageable in an external longitudinally-extending slot formed in the piston and bearing means securing said rod member in the body to allow said rod member and said spring to rotate with said piston.

5. A portable hydraulic press comprising, in combination; a body having a cylinder formed therein, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder, a head mounted on the body portion, a pair of mating clamping dies mounted one on. said piston and one on said head, a uid reservoir formed in the body, and means for pumping uid from the reservoir to the cylinder to move the piston toward the head lfor a clamping operation comprising a conduit having one end disposed in the reservoir and the otherA end connected to a Huid passage formed in the body and opening into the cylinder and reciprocable pump means associated with said fluid passage, the volumetric capacity of said reservoir being substantially greater than the volumetric capacity of said cylinder so that when said piston is fully extended in a clamping operation the level of lluid in said reservoir is lowered to a minimum level, said one end of the conduit being positioned below said minimum tluid level.

6. A hydraulic press comprising, in combination; a body having a cylinder formed therein, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder, a head mounted on the body portion, a pair of mating clamping dies mounted one on said piston and one on said head, auid reservoir formed in the body, and passage means for pumping uid from the reservoir to the cylinder to move the piston toward aber@ t1'n=.teanA frfazfclapingoperation: comprising. a 'condiltffzA disposed in the reservoir and reciprocable pump means associatedfwith*saidtllluidv passage, the endof" said conduit being Ldisposed` approximately at `thecenter* offthe reservoir and the maximum .volumetric capacity ofi the-f cylinder-beingl'ess `than halfthevolumetriccapacityoff ervoirformed in the body, means -forfpumping` fluid from thereservoir to they cylinder to move'the'pistontoward the head for aY clamping operation, means-for relieving? the clamping'lpressure Ain thel cylinder, a socket member'- pivotablyvrnountedonv the body, andapumpinghandl'e`c movablymounted insaid socket member and selectivelyAllr movable-betweenI arst positionv for actuating the pump-- p `irigemeansfandia second position-for actuating-'said pres- 20"* sure relieving fmeansf 8. A hydraulic press as called for in claim 7 wherein said means for relieving the pressure in the cylinder comprises a relief valve operable to establish communication between the cylinder and the reservoir and in which said pumping handle is rotatably mounted in said socket member and is normally rotated by resilient means into said first position.

9. A hydraulic press comprising; a body having a cylinder `formed therein, a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder, a clamping die at one end of the piston, a head telescoped on one end of the body, a mating clamping die on the head, means for rotatably mounting the head on the body including an annular recess formed by an internal annular groove in the head and an opposed ex- 5 ternal annular groove on the body, and a plurality of ball bearings confined in said annular recess and lying at least partially in both of said grooves for rollingly mounting the head and body together and opposing the thrust tending to separate the head and body, and means for moving the piston toward the head to exert a clamp ing force on a member disposed between the two dies.

l0. A hydraulic press of the type described in claim 9 wherein each of said grooves has a beveled edge surface, said beveled surfaces being substantially parallel and arranged so that said ball bearings bear aginst said beveled surfaces during a clamping operation.

1l. A hydraulic press of the type described in claim l0 wherein the beveled surface of the groove on the body is at the edge nearest to the major portion of the head and the beveled surface of the groove on the head is at the edge nearest to the major portion of the body.

12. A hydraulic press comprising, a body having a cylinder formed therein, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder, a head mounted on the body, a pair of mating clamping dies mounted one on said piston and one on said head, a fluid reservoir formed in the body, a huid passage formed in the body and opening at one end to said cylinder and at the other end to said reservoir, a uid conduit disposed in said reservoir and having its outlet end connected to said other end of said iluid passage and its inlet end disposed substantially in the center of said reservoir, and means for pumping Huid from said reservoir into said cylinder through said conduit and said passage.

13. A hydraulic press of the type described in claim l2 having a pumping handle mounted on said body for actuating the pump means, a normally closed pressure relief passage formed in the body between the cylinder and the reservoir, means having a portion extending outwardly from the body for opening said relief passage to relieve the pressure in the cylinder, projecting means on said pumping handle for selectively engaging said passage opening means, said pumping handle being rotatably mounted on said body so as to be rotatable between two selective positions, in one of which positions said pro- '-7 iecting meansl's engageable with `said Vpassage opening means. .4 l

14. A hydraulic press as defined in claim 13, having means for rotatably mounting the head on the body including an annular recess formed by an internal annular groove in the head and an opposed external Yannular groove on the body, and a plurality of ball bearings confined in said annular recess and lying at least partially in both of said grooves for rollingly mounting thehead and body together and opposing the thrust tending to separate the head and body.

15. A hydraulic press comprising, in combination; a body having a cylinder formed therein, a pistonreciprocable in said cylinder to move a rst die toward a second die mounted on the body, a Huid reservoir formed in said body, fluid passage means between said cylinder and said reservoir including a passage formed in the body and a conduit having its input end disposed in the center of said reservoir, and pumping means for transferring uid under pressure to said cylinder from said reservoir. 20

16. A hydraulic press of the type described in claim 15 whereiny the ,volumetric capacity of saidreservoir is greater than twice the -volumetric capacity of said cylinder so that in any position in which the press is held a drop in fluid level in the reservoir as the pistonmoves from an open die position to a closed die position does not expose said input end ofsaid conduit.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,158,855 Eby et al May 16, 1939 2,309,605 Lee Jan. 26, 1943 2,329,385 Bratz Sept. 14, 1943 2,372,942 Fischer et al. Apr. 3, 1945 2,693,218 Freedom Nov. 2, 1954 2,722,859 Stoltz Nov. 8, 1955 2,729,063 Hoadley 's Jan. 3, 1956 2,761,339 Lazar et al. Sept. 4, 1956 

